Just Before
by Cloudious
Summary: Just before it all happened, before the darkness, before the worlds, before the key...Just Before this all happened, there was us. CloudxAerith


It all happened 2 years ago, before Sora, before Kairi, before the world we know as Kingdom Hearts. It all started on a small planet far from those we once knew. In the world ruled by Ansem, before he was corrupt.

Just Before…

-----------------

"Aww, please come on"

"…"

"Pleaseeeeee"

"Ohh, fine"

"Yay!!"

I thought it was a bright day that day. Sun brightly shining through the open pores of the clouds. The hint of dew falling from the soft grass. The breeze swaying so gently through the air and past her hair. The season of new health, prosperity, and rebirth called 'spring' or _Itakai. _That's what we called it here. Her soft dark auburn hair swaying through the gentle breeze. Her hair was flowing freely going all the way down to her hips and slowly caressing her body. As the wind brought her hair to her face she stopped to brush it out of her hair and she slowly turned around to me. The vision of beauty made my heart melt as her deep green eyes made contact with mine. Her soft bangs slowly swaying back and forth, her smile so inviting for a sweet touch of sin. She had been wearing a pink top and a denim mini-skirt. Ever so fitting her delicate features, her inviting body, the sleekness of her hips. They made me tremble upon the very ground I stand upon. Suddenly, her soft spoken words woken me from those unholy desires…

"Cloud, don't you think the Itakai is the best season of all?"

"Yes, I must say it is. The flowers are sprouting…"

"Oh, your right! They are, they are beautiful flowers"

"But nothing is as beautiful to you my dear" I whispered to myself

"Come, lets go fulfill your desires, Aerith" I said to keep her on track

"Oh, yes we should go on our way."

And with that she grabbed my hand and we headed off to fulfill her desires…

-----------------

"Here hold this here"

"Wait, Aerith, lemme put this in first"

"Ack! It slipped out put it back in"

"_Matte_! Aerith, my hands are full! You put it back"

"Damnit, _Koishii_, your always such a mess"

Today, for the 5th time this week, we had gone shopping. Aerith had always loved something like shopping and she always dragged me along because she knew I wouldn't really care. Sometimes she brought Yuffie or Tifa… But Tifa died 3 years ago…She was Aerith's best friend and mine too. Ever since we were 3 we've always been there for each other, through the worst and the best times in our lives. But sadly, 3 years ago, Tifa died to a syndrome called Star-Scar, which was a pretty rare disease as they said. Classified as she's the first case to have it. But we moved on never forgetting the memories of her. But back then, about when we were 5, I used to call them both _Hitoshii _and they called me _Koishii _during the times when we played house together. Unfortunately, they like to bring it up time after time just to remind me that I played house.

"Well, _Hitoshii,_ if you didn't overpower me with such clothing I could've gotten the belt and put it back in with the skirt."

"Oh hush…ok… I think that's enough for now"

I just stared at her blankly for a moment. I had carried 4 shirts, 3 jeans, 4 mini-skirts, 2 blouses, and 1 dress. After only 1 hour in the store. I had them carefully balanced on my body so I wouldn't topple over myself. As we slowly, very slowly, headed to the dressing rooms, which I might say are across the room. She checked more and more attires. Thankfully, no more clothes to balanced as we reached the dressing rooms. But on the way there, she stopped and stared at something. It took some time before it registered, but I found out what she was looking at. It was a simple yet beautiful dress you could see. It looked like something more then the usual sundress. It was a beautiful, simple pink that could catch your eye and make you turn twice. Then I looked at her, she was amazed just as much as I was, probably more. Her eyes were round and the smile on her soft lips grew wider and wider. I just knew how much she would love to have that dress, and she would look damn beautiful in it too. Though destiny is a funny thing…

"What?! 30,000 munny! That's too expensive"

"Whoa, wait 30 grand? That's crazy…"

"Yeah it is, though it is a nice dress…I would like to wear it around one day"

"Yeah I would too"

Though, before I knew it, she caught my words.

"You in a dress? Ohhhh…You'd look sooooo pretty"

Oh boy, I could see this coming

"Ack, Aerith, what are you doing?!"

"Come lets put that dress on you"

"_N-N-NANI_?! Ahh get away! I meant I would like seeing the dress on you"

Those words seem to drift to her ears like a sweet melody as I noticed a soft blush creep on to her face. As I caught my own words I seem to have some blood come up to my head. We looked at each other for, what seemed an eternity, only a couples seconds as we enjoyed the moment that we shared. But the day wouldn't get as normal as we thought…

"Aerith!!"

"Yuffie!! What are you doing here! Hey, Squall"

"Hey, Aerith. Wassup, Cloud"

It had been Yuffie and Squall barging in on our little moment. Though disappointed it seemed to break the silence between us. Yuffie was wearing a green top with some jean khakis as Squall just wore some khakis and a white shirt. They were seemingly better dressed then my black shirt and loose jeans. We had chatted and in a few minutes time we had all headed off to the dressing rooms for the ladies to change. And by the looks of it, Squall had also been dragged to the mall, as he too was carrying a handful of clothes. As we set them down and the ladies took them to get themselves ready. Squall and I had sat down for the long fashion show we were about to embark on. Squall and Yuffie were two members of the Town police department under special jurisdiction. Upon Ansem's request, after the discovery of the 'Darkness', the Town requested a small division based on keeping the Town safe and evacuate 'if necessary' the people of the Town. Along with Squall and Yuffie was I, I am on a low part of the ladder while as those two where on a much higher rank. I was so to say, backup, if ever needed. Though the division isn't doing much its just something to comfort the Town's people with. With less trailing from my thoughts and train completely derailed I seemed to want to break the silence between us.

"So what did she blackmail you with this time…"

"Telling Rinoa about that bar time…"

"When you kissed…"

" I KISSED?! She kissed me, she was plastered as hell!"

"She? Man were you plastered. That was a guy"

"………"

"Ahh, some words are not meant to be said" I mused out loud

Seeing him like this gave me a slight smile. It was fun to tease Squall he was a good guy. As he stood there wallowing in himself it was not a few minutes that passed when we heard hangers and saw two very beautiful ladies in front of us. One I was deeply in love with…

"What do you think boys?" they both said in unison

"You'd think they practice that" I mused silently

"You guys look great" Squall replied just awaking from his shock

"I bet he's thanking god that she blackmailed him" I thought

True, they were looking beautifully stunning. Aerith had changed into a pink lacy blouse matched with a white skirt with roses patterned all over it. While, Yuffie had changed into a mini-skirt with a green belt and black shirt with the words "Too sexy" printed on her breasts.

"Very nice, indeed" I replied as they went back giggling into the dressing rooms

Again with the silence between squall and me I heard a few words exchanged within the rooms.

"…this is yours, Yuffie"

"No, no….yours is a size one..."

"…yea-…. A zero?"

"…dieting and exercise"

"…how are you and…"

"We are doing very well…dinner….tomorrow"

Suddenly, a sound of a crash, so to say, as Squall and I looked in the direction and looked intrigued

"Son of a…Ac-…elp!"

"Coming Yuff-…geez…your just like C-…"

"yeah ye-…so did you tell hi-"

"Shh, no not yet. I'm plan-"

"Ohhh I see.. You will tell him that you lo-ouch"

"I will, but shhhh"

That was the last words I heard before a long silence. I started to think on their words 'you will tell him that you lo…' was it love? Who does Aerith love? Grrr. I slowly started to go over the possibilities of people she knows. Slowly crossing one out at a time and thinking harder and harder. After a few minutes I was suddenly disturbed with the same picture about 10 minutes ago…

Damn…how long do they take?

---------------------

After 5 hours in the mall, we were saved as it was Sunday and the stores closed down early, we all had left. The girls left empty handed…unfortunately, for us, Squall and I had to carry all the stuff. Seems that they had bought mostly everything in sight. We all were going our separate ways. We had said our goodbyes to each other and promised to have dinner sometime soon. Squall would walk Yuffie to her house and then move on to his house he shared with Rinoa, thankfully empty handed. I, on the other hand, had walked the opposite direction of them with Aerith in tow. Our walk was unusually silent as we had nothing to converse on at that moment…

"Hey, Aerith." I said trying to strike up a conversation

"Yes?"

"How much munny do you have left?"

"About 100 left actually"

"Whoa, you still could buy some panties with that"

She blushed as the comment as she playfully punched me in the arm. Damn that wasn't playful…

"Oh, _Koishii_, your such a kidder"

Must I always be reminded of those days?

"Yeah, yeah…Why don't we go stop at the café for some snacks. My treat"

"Sure why not"

We had walked close to her house but took a left on the street and then found ourselves in a small café 'Sakura no Café' also called Café Blossoms. It was a small Town café that's small and popular among the neighborhood. It's name was given for the garden of Cherry Blossoms, known as Sakura's, in front of the café. And during _Itakai _it was a very, very beautiful. Though the manager yells on about it's a pain to clean. As we entered we took a seat and I placed the bags on the chair and under the table. Well as many as I can fit. Soon we were greeted by an old friend. My how times change…

"Ahh Cloud and Aerith. Number 1 doves"

Confused we just ignored what she had really meant…

"Hi, Marlene how are you doing" Aerith asked with a smile

She always smiled no matter what. Maybe that's why she's so beautiful.

"Heya, girl, nothing much, not a lot of business and papa's rambling on in the back again about the blossoms. And you, Cloud, how are you doing"

"Great. I see Barret never stops rambling" I said with a smile

"Well, back to working, so what can I get'cha"

"I'll have a small strawberry muffin and coffee" Aerith said

She always had a fascination with things pink even as a child. No wonder her favorite fruit is strawberry.

"And you mister?"

"I'll have a ice coffee with some extra sugar thanks…_Marl-chan_"

Suddenly, I got hit in the head and Marlene and Aerith laughed. Marlene always hated to be called Marl-chan. She wanted to show she was an adult not a child. I smiled as I watched them laugh. I always liked making her smile. Laughing would just be a bonus to me she was so carefree and I loved every minute of it when I saw her laugh. Was a soft melody that would bring harmony into one's soul. Soon after 5 minutes of waiting we had received our orders. It took us 15 minutes before we finished our orders and headed back to the house we lived in. Soon after another 15 minutes we took in full view the house. It wasn't a grand or luxurious house for 3, just a small two story building with 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, much to my dismay, a kitchen and a small basement for washing and drying. Once upon a time three people lived here, not anymore. We took our time walking through the cobble stones on the front to the porch enjoying the small oak trees that have been there many years before us. The sunset giving them such a beautiful glow…

"Hey, Cloud, hurry up!"

I looked at her and I fell under her soft gaze. She was smiling brightly, a soft warm smile, her deep green eyes filled with a hint of the bright orange sunset.

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That's it for this story, I hope you enjoyed it. Depending on the reviews and how much people like it I would consider updating it. It wasn't meant to be a one shot, it still can be continued. I hope you guys liked it .

By the way definitions:

Itakai I wanted to say "spring", but just made up the season because it sounded nice

Hitoshii Darling

Koishii Darling

(Just like pet names, they really weren't flirting as kids, they were just having fun using those names)


End file.
